Leicester alleged Purple Heart thief caught; medal still missing

LEICESTER — A 36-year-old man wanted in connection with a violent home invasion and the theft of a Purple Heart last month is in custody.

Leicester Police Chief James Hurley said Timothy M. Lavin, whose last known address was 11 Hyland Ave., Leicester, was captured in Millbury on Wednesday.

Police had an arrest warrant for Mr. Lavin after the Jan. 5 home invasion in which three people were bound and gagged at gunpoint by two intruders.

Armed with a search warrant, police went to Mr. Lavin's home last week and recovered some of the jewelry stolen from the home, which is on a side street in the Cherry Valley section of town. A gun that police believe was used in the home invasion was also found. The Purple Heart, though, was not recovered and has yet to be found.

Chief Hurley said he sought assistance from the State Police Fugitive Unit, which had assigned a trooper to work full-time on the case. He said Worcester police did the same, and when information led investigators to a home in Millbury Wednesday, officers there stepped in to assist.

The chief said he is very thankful for the assistance and the help received through the Worcester district attorney and other agencies.

Police are still looking for a second suspect in the case and said there may be a third person who drove the getaway car.

The stolen Purple Heart had been awarded to the father of one of the robbery victims. He received the medal for his service in the Marine Corps during World War II, according to police. The victim's late father fought on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, police said.

Weather permitting, Mr. Lavin is to be arraigned Thursday in Western Worcester District Court in East Brookfield on charges of home invasion, larceny from a person 65 years old or older, possession of a firearm without a license, armed robbery with a firearm while masked, larceny of more than $250, possession of heroin, possession of a large-capacity firearm, improper storage of a large-capacity firearm, possession of oxycodone, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.